The Story

Sara has two vaginas. She's never been intimate with anyone ... except her pillow. Until love peeks through her window (literally). Will Sara find the courage to reveal herself?

The Story Behind The Story

Uterus didelphys (sometimes also uterus didelphis) represents a uterine malformation where the uterus is present as a paired organ...there is adouble uterus with two separate cervices, and often a double vagina as well. [Wikipedia definition]

I don't like the word "malformation". It suggests that one kind of body is "normal" while another kind of body is not. I also don't like how definitions leave the human element out; people are distilled to one homogonized, clinical sentence.

In my research for this film, I learned very quickly (though I'd already suspected it) that uterus didelphis is as varied in women as fingerprints. Some women have two of everything, with both sides fully functional. Some women only have two of certain things, or have only side fully functional or formed. Some women elatedly have two G spots, while others struggle to have sex comfortably. Some women have their double vaginas visible from the outside, while others don't. Some women wear two tampons comfortably; while others can't. Some women are able to carry and give birth to children. Other women can't, and that reality is a constant and devastating one. Some women are partnered, sexually active, and happy with their anatomy. Some women feel isolated, objectified, and ashamed of their anatomy.

The medical profession has yet to fully provide for women with uterus didelphys; firstly, because it's so rare (one found statistic claims 1 in 1,000), and secondly, because it's so varied that no one procedure can truly account for everyone. The rarity factor also extends to the social. Nearly all support-both given and received-for women with uterus didelphys comes from comment posting, on medical websites; reaching out to each other, messaging each other, asking each other: "have you experienced this?" So, if a woman has uterus didelphys, she first encounters well-meaning (but often surprised and baffled) medical professionals. To compensate, she has to research the condition herself, with not much available research to go on. Then, she has to reach out online to find other women like her. And, once she finally finds them, she has to discover that, well...they're like her, but not exactly like her; some advice will be useful, and some advice not. She ultimately has to find her own way with her own body. Some women do. Some women try. Some women can't.

I made this film to put a human face on uterus didelphys, to honor the incredible women whose experiences I've learned about. I hope that "Two", in its own small way (it's only 17 minutes long), can give these experiences a voice. And I deeply hope, in its own small way, that the film begins a conversation. That it brings uterus didelphys further into the public consciousness, not as a "malformation" but as another kind of anatomy that should be respected. That it brings uterus didelphys further into the medical consciousness, not as a clinical rarity to be baffled by; but as a priority, an anatomy to be provided for, to be listened to. Just because a kind of anatomy is varied and rare, it doesn't mean it's not important. No anatomy should be invisible in our social community; and no anatomy should be impossible for our medical community.

Community

As this film was being released, something else, across the world, was being created. Thanks to the efforts of an amazing woman named Cat, women with uterus didelphys now have an online community all their own, Uterus Didelphys Together: http://uterusdidelphys.webs.com/.